Canada's Catholic bishops have released a four-page Federal Election 2008 Guide on their web site. The bishops take on complacency and apathy. "Catholics have an obligation to be interested in politics," they write in the introduction.

Two-tier medicine that puts the rich at the head of the line for everything from cancer therapy to hip replacements and legislation that would make cheap and easy euthanasia more readily available than quality palliative care are issues the Catholic Health Association hopes voters will question before they cast their ballots Oct. 14.

Jesuit Father Jim Profit is hopeful that political debate in Canada has begun to take notice of the state of the ecology. "Ultimately if the Earth doesn't survive the rest of us won't survive either. It's a key issue," said the director of the Jesuit Collaborative for Ecology, Forestry and Agriculture in Guelph.

It probably comes as no surprise to many Catholics that Nicole Charbonneau Barron, is running in the Montreal riding of St. Bruno-St. Hubert for the Conservatives. Charbonneau Barron is a member of Opus Dei, and the personnel prelature to the pope is generally associated with conservative, right wing politics.

Enquiring minds want to know what Catholic parishes can and cannot do in this federal election. Fortunately, before every election most bishops across Canada send detailed instructions to their pastors on this subject.

{mosimage}OTTAWA - Canada’s bishops plan to use the introduction of the new liturgy as a teaching opportunity to renew appreciation of the Eucharist.

“There is always an opportunity for catechesis to build on the Eucharistic Congress and the Synod of the Eucharist when we implement the missal,” said Toronto Archbishop Thomas Collins.

{mosimage}TORONTO - When Christians in Toronto sit down at sunset to break the fast of Ramadan with their Muslim neighbours they have the backing of Canada’s Catholic bishops. The bishops have written to Canada’s Muslim community seeking “new stepping stones” of dialogue.

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops’ episcopal commission for interfaith dialogue released its response to “A Common Word Between Us” on the first day of Ramadan, Sept. 1. “A Common Word Between Us” was a 2007 open letter from 138 Muslim scholars and leaders which called for a renewed relationship between the world’s two largest religious communities.

{mosimage}A new pastoral message from Canada’s Catholic bishops aiming to “encourage and support” young couples in their search for happiness includes insights from its target audience.

About a dozen young couples from across the country contributed to the pastoral letter, released by the bishops Sept. 4, titled “What Does Marriage Add to your Love?”

{mosimage}TORONTO - Living without fear is the theme of Toronto’s first Catholic Conference on Awareness of Abuse Against Women, to be held Oct. 18

Workshops for both youth and adults will provide a chance to reflect and learn about woman abuse and the Catholic Church’s response.

Conference organizer Virginia Koehler told The Catholic Register the event is a day of information for everyone in the community.

TORONTO - Frank McKenna, the former premier of New Brunswick and ambassador to the United States, will be chairman for this year’s Cardinal’s Dinner, to be held Oct. 30 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.